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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BadGirlPerk" data-source="post: 22495655" data-attributes="member: 556692"><img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/ic9OpwYwiqi8/v0/1400x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Hoshinoya’s Kyoto property—an idyllic urban oasis.Source: Hoshino ResortsJAPANDespite  an abundance of talented concierges and hospitable locals,   traveling in  Japan without speaking Japanese can leave you feeling as   if you’ve  barely scratched the surface. In the run-up to the 2020   Olympics,  though, the country is shaking off its Lost in Translation vibe.<a href="https://www.ryokancollection.com/" target="_blank">The Ryokan Collection</a>,    a just-formed consortium of more than 30 properties, is making it    easier to find traditional inns that cater to foreigners, even in    off-the-beaten-track destinations. Celebrity chef Hiroyuki Hiramatsu is    also overseeing a brand-new <a href="http://www.hiramatsuhotels.com/" target="_blank">line of high-end ryokans</a>    that combine the exquisite service and meticulously prepared,    hyper-seasonal meals of old-style properties, but with rooms that nod to    Western luxury ideals of mattresses, instead of sleeping mats, and    walls, rather than paper screens. The first locations are in the hot    springs town of Sengokuhara and Atami, which lies in the shadow of Mount    Fuji.<img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iTyqMijf.EIc/v0/600x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Source: Google (hotel prices)Two high-end rail experiences are on the horizon as well. The <a href="http://twilightexpress-mizukaze.jp/" target="_blank">Twilight Express Mizukaze</a>, an Art Deco-inspired sleeper train that travels through the western regions of Sanyo and San’in, and the <a href="https://www.jreast.co.jp/shiki-shima/en/" target="_blank">Train Suite Shiki-Shima</a>,    a jewel box-like, 10-car train that takes guests on multi-day    itineraries in northern Japan, both pass through coastal and country    towns most people never see. Even if you stick to the well-trod tourist trail, <a href="http://www.kyotoartisans.jp/en/" target="_blank">Kyoto Artisans Concierge</a>    can give you unprecedented access to renowned workshops that were  long   closed to tourists. Now, with a few clicks, anyone can arrange a  visit   to an atelier that makes fans, lacquerware, or knives. When to go: Mid-October to the end of November. The stunning, fiery red fall leaves (koyo) are on full display and the weather is great, to boot. When not to go: July to September. Popular destinations such as Tokyo and Kyoto are in full-on hot, sticky summer mode. Whom to call: <a href="mailto:ml@epicroad.com">Mark Lakin</a> of Epic Road.  <img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/igL9rYgW4OIw/v0/1400x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />An aerial perspective of Madagascar, which some refer to as the “Galapagos of Africa.”Source: Time + TideMADAGASCARSuspended  off the coast of Mozambique in the Indian Ocean, the island   of  Madagascar is hardly a secret among the adventure-seeking set. Its    extraordinary biodiversity has rightly earned it comparisons to the    Galapagos Islands. But before this year, its rainforests and untouched    beaches were largely accessed only by the truly intrepid, due to a void    of high-end lodging options. <img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/ij5PUoa8M0O0/v0/600x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Source: Google (hotel prices)But  now this naturalist’s paradise—which is home to more than 250,000    endemic animal species—is poised to become a luxury traveler’s bragging    right, thanks to the April opening of the ultra-exclusive, 14-villa <a href="http://www.timeandtideafrica.com/miavana" target="_blank">Miavana</a> resort. For $2,500 per person, per night, you’ll get <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-18/best-new-private-island-resorts-in-the-world-maldives-belize-fiji" target="_blank">full run</a>    of Nosy Ankao island, off the country’s northeastern tip. While  you’re   there, check these two things off your to-do list: snorkeling  through   the archipelago’s turtle-filled lagoons (you can literally  dive in from   the deck of your villa), and sailing to the mainland for  an up-close   look at Madagascar’s famed lemurs.When to go:  May and September, when lemur safaris are less   crowded. For divers,  September gets an edge because high plankton   levels attract loads of  whale sharks and dolphins.When not to go: Mid-January to mid-March. Bad things come in threes: rain, wind, and cyclones.Whom to call: <a href="mailto:Teresa@mangosafari.com">Teresa Sullivan</a> of Mango Safaris.<img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/i66PXrxahcYA/v0/1400x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />The Cauliflower Jaffa Style at Barbary, one of London’s hottest new restaurants. Photographer: Carol SachsLONDONThere’s  no need to worry about your London travel plans, post-Brexit.   On the  contrary, a soon-to-open boutique hotel and private club is   reason alone  to visit. Called <a href="https://www.thened.com/" target="_blank">The Ned</a>,   the  project is set in a former 1920s bank in the City and is the  first   collaboration between the Soho House and NoMad hotel teams. On  the   docket is a rare-for-London rooftop pool, with glorious views of  St.   Paul’s and a bar in the old vault. Fierce competition is brewing near the Tower of London, at the <a href="http://www.fourseasons.com/tentrinity/" target="_blank">Four Seasons Ten Trinity</a>: it’s likewise set in a portentous 1920’s building with a French restaurant by three-Michelin-starred chef <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-06/chef-anne-sophie-pic-will-open-her-first-london-restaurant" target="_blank">Anne-Sophie Pic</a>. <img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/ix37fmHULYRo/v0/600x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Source: Google (hotel prices)Old-meets-new is playing out elsewhere, too. Claude Bosi of the Michelin-starred Hibiscus is opening in the fabulous <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-05/french-chef-bosi-wants-to-bring-stars-to-famous-michelin-building-in-london" target="_blank">Art Nouveau Bibendum</a> structure this spring. And Jean-Georges Vongerichten will create <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-25/star-new-york-chef-to-open-casual-dining-restaurant-in-london" target="_blank">his version</a>    of a comfortable neighborhood restaurant in the grand Connaught Hotel    in Mayfair. Plus Marcus Samuelsson will soon bring his Harlem comfort    food hotspot, <a href="http://www.redroosterharlem.com/#red-rooster-harlem" target="_blank">Red Rooster</a>, to Shoreditch.But the hottest dining ’hood is Soho, where <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-31/your-guide-to-the-best-seats-at-london-s-counter-revolution" target="_blank">the Barbary</a>    showcases the flavors of North Africa. With the exchange rate more in    favor of travelers than it’s been in decades, splurging on meals is   just  the beginning of your best London trip yet.When to go: May and early June, when the gardens are in bloom and several royal birthdays fill the city with pomp and circumstance.When not to go: August. Londoners decamp—and tourists replace them, leaving the Tube and streets completely clogged.Whom to call: <a href="mailto:ellen@lecomptetravel.com">Ellen LeCompte</a> of LeCompte Travel.  <img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iBP2OaNMiruo/v0/1400x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />The aerial cableway that leads to the top of Table Mountain.Photographer: Neil Austen/ Getty Images/Gallo ImagesCAPE TOWNCape  Town has found its way onto travelers’ bucket lists for many   reasons,  including its natural beauty, its cutting-edge design   sensibility, and  most recently, its exceptional food scene. But in   2017, expect the city  to make a star turn as the hottest art capital in   the Southern  Hemisphere.<img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iEx9dHgpNLvE/v0/600x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Source: Google (hotel prices)Come September, the long-anticipated <a href="http://www.zeitzmocaa.museum/" target="_blank">Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa</a>—aka    the Zeitz MOCAA—will become the world’s largest museum dedicated to    modern art from across the continent. The collection will occupy an    erstwhile grain silo at the V&A Waterfront that was once the tallest    building in sub-Saharan Africa and was since reimagined for the 21st    century by famed U.K. architect Thomas Heatherwick. Those involved  with   the project hope to make it as influential as New York’s MoMA and    London’s Tate.What’s more, Cape Town’s art galleries are upping  their game in   anticipation of the inevitable influx of patrons soon to  descend on   their city: Current highlights include <a href="http://www.stateoftheart-gallery.com/" target="_blank">StateoftheArt</a>, <a href="http://ava.co.za/" target="_blank">Ava</a>, <a href="http://www.whatiftheworld.com/" target="_blank">Whatiftheworld</a>, and <a href="http://www.gallerymomo.com/" target="_blank">Gallery Momo</a>. And where’s a discerning art aficionado to stay? The new <a href="http://www.theroyalportfolio.com/the-silo/overview/" target="_blank">Silo Hotel</a> crowns the MOCAA’s glass-clad tower, promising stellar views and unrivaled museum access.When to go: March, for harvest-time day trips to the nearby wine lands. When not to go: June through August. South Africa’s wet winters are ideal for Great Migration safaris, not urban explorations.  Whom to call: <a href="mailto:julia@jetsetworldtravel.com">Julia Douglas</a> of Jetset World Travel, Inc.       <img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iER_hCFwuAdw/v0/1400x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Nathan Phillips Square, a public plaza that anchors Downtown Toronto.Photographer: Edwin Chang/Getty ImagesTORONTOCanada’s  largest city has decisively shed its image as a staid   also-ran, thanks  to its flourishing food scene, an abundance of new   green spaces, and  lots of homegrown creative energy. It’s become one of   the  fastest-growing metropolitan areas on the continent.<img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iffna0rYaifY/v0/600x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Source: Google (hotel prices)On the cultural front, the <a href="http://museumofcontemporaryart.ca/" target="_blank">Museum of Contemporary Art</a> will unveil its expanded location in fast-changing Junction Triangle. And the city’s splashy $25-million <a href="http://www.thebentway.ca/" target="_blank">Bentway</a>    project, Toronto’s answer to such repurposing initiatives as the High    Line in New York, will transform a one-mile stretch beneath the   elevated  Gardiner Expressway into a vibrant recreational space—just in   time for  Canada’s 150th birthday celebration.Base yourself at the <a href="http://www.hotelxtoronto.com/" target="_blank">Hotel X</a>,    an “urban resort” with two movie theaters, two rooftop swimming  pools,   and a 3,000-square-foot children’s play area. Or spring for a  room in   the 44-story project <a href="http://www.bishatoronto.com" target="_blank">Bisha Hotel & Residences</a>,    in the centrally located Entertainment District, where an entire  floor   has been designed by Lenny Kravitz. And don’t overlook the  dining—not   that you could, with options such as French-influenced dim  sum at <a href="http://dailoto.com/" target="_blank">DaiLo</a> and pine-smoked mussels at <a href="http://boraliato.com/" target="_blank">Boralia</a>.When to go:  The crowd-free, foliage-filled window between the   Toronto International  Film Festival and the onset of winter—from   late-September to  mid-November—is largely underrated.When not to go: Spring, which is uncomfortably cold and rainy.Whom to call: <a href="mailto:EHinson@merittravel.com">Elke Hinson</a> of Merit Travel.  <img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iCG8l09wkeBY/v0/1400x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />A look at the soon-to-open Aman Shanghai.Source: Aman ShanghaiSHANGHAIA cooling economy? Weakening yuan? In glitzy Shanghai, China’s woes seem <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-27/shanghai-ranks-as-top-pick-to-become-next-major-financial-hub" target="_blank">worlds away</a> amid all the city’s splashy development projects. Put aside the $5.5 billion Shanghai Disney Resort that <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-15/shanghai-disney-to-open-with-fanfare-in-race-for-tourism-yuan" target="_blank">finally opened its doors</a> in June—it’s the steady influx of five-star hotels and celebrity-chef restaurants that most excite us.<img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iM9Ofx7DtqsM/v0/600x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Source: Google (hotel prices)On  the ever-glamorous Bund, an Art Deco gem of a building will   transform  into an Edition Hotel, set to open early next winter. The <a href="https://www.capellahotels.com/shanghai/" target="_blank">Capella Shanghai</a>    will open sooner, in March, with a restaurant by acclaimed Frenchman    Pierre Gagnaire; he’s joining a crew of recent imports, such as  Spanish   chef Diego Guerrero and Joël Robuchon, to further boost a  culinary  scene  that earned Shanghai its inaugural Michelin Guide in  2016. The capstone will be <a href="https://www.aman.com/shanghai" target="_blank">Aman Shanghai</a>,    the group’s fourth mainland resort, bowing this spring. It inhabits a    centuries-old traditional village that was painstakingly transplanted    from rural Jiangxi province, 500 miles away—giant camphor trees and    all. When to go: April, when the weather is pleasant and dry—important in a city that gets twice as much rain as London.When not to go: Skip  the end of summer (typhoon season) as well   as Golden Week, in the  beginning of October. It’s when domestic   tourists come flocking, packing  local attractions and public spaces.Whom to call: <a href="mailto:guy@imperialtours.net">Guy Rubin</a> of Imperial Tours.  <img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iM9MG88Tf5nk/v0/1400x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />The newly-christened Faena Forum, in Miami Beach.Photographer: Nikolas KoenigMIAMISave  for one party-filled weekend each December, Miami’s culture scene   has  been as skimpy as the bikinis on South Beach. No longer.The tide began to turn with the arrival of the <a href="http://www.pamm.org/" target="_blank">Perez Art Museum Miami</a> in 2013; it proved that the high-concept spirit of Art Basel can thrive year-round in this sun-filled capital. Now, the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/photo-essays/2015-12-01/faena-district-and-hotel-miami-beach-photo-tour" target="_blank">dramatic statement piece</a> that is the <a href="http://www.faena.com/miami-beach/" target="_blank">Faena Hotel</a> has spawned a 43,000-square-foot cultural center designed by Rem Koolhaas/OMA. It <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-29/why-are-developers-still-pouring-billions-into-waterlogged-miami" target="_blank">opened last month</a>    with a lineup that includes funk trumpeter Spencer Ludwig and weekly    performances of its Latin jazz-centric revue show, “C’est Rouge.”<img src="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/icfBrKC47c1g/v0/600x-1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Source: Google (hotel prices)The <a href="http://www.frostscience.org/" target="_blank">Frost Science Museum</a>,    which has been delayed and bailed-out countless times, will finally    open in the spring, with 250,000 square feet of LEED Gold-certified    galleries, all designed by a “technologist” who spent years developing    pieces for artist James Turrell. It’s anyone’s guess whether the Frost    or the significantly expanded <a href="https://www.thebass.org/" target="_blank">Bass Museum</a> will win the race to ribbon-cutting day.And that’s to make no mention of South Florida’s first food hall, Central Fare (with a restaurant by Top Chef alums Bryan and Michael Voltaggio) or <a href="https://www.brickellcitycentre.com/" target="_blank">Brickell City Centre</a>, a retail complex of staggering proportions that’s steadily expanding the city’s appeal beyond its sandy shores. When to go: November to March. Chances of rain: slim. Chances of amazing weather: high.When not to go: July to September. The lowest hotel prices of the year don't make up for the fact that it's brutally hot and muggy.Whom to call: <a href="mailto:greg@lorrainetravel.com">Greg Guiteras</a> of Lorraine Travel.      Editors: Nikki Ekstein, Chris Rovzar, and Justin OceanReporters:  Justin Bergman, Sara Clemence, Nikki Ekstein, James Gaddy,   Brooke  Porter Katz, Sarah Khan, Kate Krader, Chadner Navarro, and   Gisela  WilliamsPhoto Editors: Evan Ortiz, Leonor MamannaChart Design: Benjamin BoursDesign & Development: Bernadette Walker(Corrects hotel ownership of Le Toiny in the 35th paragraph.)</blockquote>

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